The prior art attempts at balancing an axially reciprocating barrel cam internal combustion engine of the 5-stroke, opposed-piston type is well documented by Schuko in U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,762, and I hereby incorporate that patent by reference in its entirety. Schuko describes a method of balancing a five stroke engine, such as disclosed by Woolson in U.S. Pat. No. 1,788,140, by the use of first and second cylinders, pistons and cams so configured as to counteract each other's reciprocating motions. The duplication of a number of components by Schuko increases the complexity of the Woolson engine, thereby, in applicant's view, compromising simplicity of construction. A problem in the Woolson patent disclosure was the spark-plug location being confined to a recess in the cylinder wall to allow the pistons to pass by it during the exhaust and dwell strokes of its cycle.
It should be noted that although Schuko uses the word “cycle” in his '762 patent, in the present disclosure the word “stroke” is used instead, as in the Balanced 5 Stroke Engine referred to in the title hereto. The word “cycle” as used within the present disclosure refers to the set of five strokes in operation of the engine, which five strokes constitute a repeating “cycle”. Furthermore it should be noted that Woolson's use of the words “cycle” and “stroke” in his '140 patent are consistent with their use and meaning in the disclosure of the present invention.